by Riley Sager
The crowd around us goes silent as a worker climbs into the cab of the crane. Once he’s in place, an alarm sounds. So loud I feel it in my chest.
I start to cry, the tears sudden and unstoppable. Most of them are for those who never left the Bartholomew. Dylan especially, but also Erica, Megan, Ruby, and so many more.
I cry for my family.
Jane, who may or may not still be out there.
My parents, who had been beaten down by life until they simply gave up.
But a few of those tears, I know, are reserved for me. Younger, more hopeful me, who saw the Bartholomew on a book cover and believed the promises it offered were real. That girl is gone now, replaced by someone wiser and harder but no less hopeful.
Ingrid sees the tears streaming out from beneath my sunglasses and says, “Are you okay?”
“No,” I say. “But I will be.”
Then I wipe away the tears, grip Ingrid’s hand, and watch the wrecking ball swing.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
For me, the most difficult part of finishing a book is this page right here. It’s quite hard trying to thank a group of people when you already know words aren’t enough to express your gratitude. Still, an attempt must be made. To that end, here’s a heaping helping of thanks.
To Maya Ziv, my amazing US editor, and everyone at Dutton and Penguin Random House who have worked so hard on my behalf. You are everything an author could want and more. I would be lost without our Dream Team.
To everyone at Ebury, my UK publisher, for keeping things running smoothly across the pond. My UK editor, Gillian Green, deserves a special shoutout for calling this book “positively Hitchcockian,” which is probably the nicest compliment I’ve ever received.
To my agent, Michelle Brower, and everyone at Aevitas Creative Management for always having my back. I’m so proud to be among your list of authors, and I am so grateful for everything you do.
To the friends and family who continue to cheer me on from the sidelines, especially Sarah Dutton. Thank you, old friend.
To the readers who have embraced my books in the past three years.
To the bloggers and Instagram users who have been so generous with both their praise and their photography skills.
Finally, to Mike Livio, whose patience and understanding continue to astound me on a daily basis. None of this would be possible without you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lock Every Door is the third thriller from Riley Sager, the pseudonym of an author who lives in Princeton, New Jersey. Riley’s first novel, Final Girls, was a national and international bestseller that has been published in more than two dozen countries, won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel, and is currently being developed into a feature film by Universal Pictures. Sager’s second novel, The Last Time I Lied, was a New York Times bestseller.
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